SUNY Board of Trustees Appoints 29 Faculty to Distinguished Ranks

May 11, 2016

Albany – The State University of New York Board of Trustees recently approved the appointments of 29 faculty to the Distinguished Faculty Rank (DFR). All distinguished faculty in active service within SUNY are also members of the SUNY Distinguished Academy.

SUNY Board Chairman H. Carl McCall said, "The SUNY distinguished professor rankings are the highest honors our Board of Trustees has the opportunity to convey to faculty, making them a tremendous point of pride for us all. These individuals are leaders and innovators in their field, serving as excellent mentors for our students while advancing groundbreaking research and discovery in New York and around the globe. Congratulations to all of the faculty receiving this distinction."

"The SUNY distinguished faculty are truly the best of the best," said SUNY Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher. "Through innovative instruction, unique research opportunities, and engaging applied learning opportunities, they deliver a top quality higher education for our students that is second to none. Many thanks and congratulations to this most recent class of distinguished faculty."

Since the program's inception in 1963, SUNY has appointed 1,062 faculty to the distinguished ranks, as follows, including these most recent appointments: 371 Distinguished Professorships; 310 Distinguished Service Professorships; 376 Distinguished Teaching Professorships; and 5 Distinguished Librarian Professorships. More information about SUNY’s faculty award program is available online.

The Distinguished Professorship is conferred upon individuals who have achieved national or international prominence and a distinguished reputation within a chosen field. This distinction is attained through significant contributions to the research literature or through artistic performance or achievement in the case of the arts. The candidate’s work must be of such character that the individual’s presence will tend to elevate the standards of scholarship of colleagues both within and beyond these persons’ academic fields. Receiving this rank are:

Alan J. Lizotte, University at Albany –Dr. Lizotte, a faculty member in the School of Criminal Justice at the University at Albany, is a world-class researcher who has made major contributions to the institution’s School of Criminal Justice as well as to the field of criminology as a scholar, teacher, mentor, and administrator. Dr. Lizotte has had a tremendous influence on criminology in two research areas central to the field - delinquency and firearms (including gun ownership and gun violence). For example, he was a co-founder of the Rochester Youth Development Study (RYDS), one of the world’s most important longitudinal studies of the causes of delinquency, including how adolescents enter into and desist from criminal careers. Known for his objectivity in an area where even researchers have staked out emotionally charged positions, Dr. Lizotte focused on careful design and measurement in carrying out research on the determinants of gun ownership, patterns of illegal gun carrying, the role of guns in gang behavior, and the effectiveness of gun control. He is a Fellow of the American Society of Criminology, a member of the editorial boards of several leading journals, and a grant referee for the National Science Foundation, the National Institute of Justice, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Scott J. South, University at Albany – Dr. South, a member of the Department of Sociology at the University at Albany, has earned a stellar national and international reputation for his innovative research in the fields of family demography and urban/community sociology. His research has had a major impact on these fields, identifying key consequences of sex ratio imbalances and illuminating the dynamic processes underlying migration and residential racial segregation. Dr. South received the University at Albany Excellence in Research Award in 2003, and his productivity has continued apace since then. He has published nearly 100 scholarly articles, and his publications are consistently in the top-tier journals of the profession. His extraordinary productivity and the high quality of his scholarship are clearly reflected in the customary indicators of academic eminence (citation counts and impact indices). While making sustained contributions to the overall mission of the University, Dr. South has also been highly successful in securing external funding. He has earned 16 significant grants from external sources that include the National Science Foundation, the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

Tim K. Lowenstein, Binghamton University – Dr. Lowenstein, a member of the Department of Geological Sciences at Binghamton University, is an internationally recognized leader in the study of the origin and significance of salt deposits. Dr. Lowenstein combines the petrography, sedimentary features and geochemistry of salt deposits to deduce major characteristics of and changes in the ancient Earth’s hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere. His work on the chemistry of ancient seawater impacts virtually every field of Earth. His work on how ancient lake deposits record past climates has led to his involvement with an international paleoclimate research group drilling cores in lakes in the East African Rift system. This group is investigating connections between human evolution and the climate history of East Africa. Dr. Lowenstein and his students have authored a series of insightful papers on the long-term survival of microorganisms in ancient salt. The impact of this research has implications not only for life on Earth, but on other planets as well. He has authored over 90 peer-reviewed papers and 120 conference presentations, and has served as associate editor for the journals Geology, Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, and Journal of Sedimentary Research. He was awarded the Israel C. Russell Award in Limnogeology from the Geological Society of America in 2012, and is a Fellow of the Mineralogical Society of America, Society of Economic Geologists, and the Geological Society of America.

Anne B. Curtis, University at Buffalo – Dr. Curtis, a member of the Department of Medicine at the University at Buffalo, is an outstanding cardiologist and a highly innovative physician scientist whose pioneering work has transformed the study of cardiac rhythm disorders and their treatment. Regarded as one of the world’s foremost clinical cardiac electrophysiologists, Dr. Curtis has received numerous accolades for her professional accomplishments, including the 2012 Walter Bleifeld Memorial Award for Distinguished Contribution in Clinical Research in Cardiology from the International Academy of Cardiology. An elected member of the Association of University Cardiologists and a former president of the Heart Rhythm Society, a post that is the society’s "worldwide electrophysiologist in chief," Dr. Curtis has pioneered research in cardiology related to the impact of gender on the responses to therapeutic treatment for heart failure, and is on the forefront of defining the impact of individual differences on the approach to treating arrhythmias and heart failure. Her groundbreaking clinical research has resulted in profound changes in the treatment and care of heart patients around the world, critical improvements in how pacemakers are used in the management of common arrhythmia, and the establishment of new guidelines for patients with atrial fibrillation that have been adopted and endorsed by cardiologists worldwide.

Stephen L. Dyson, University at Buffalo – Dr. Dyson, a member of the Department of Classics at the University at Buffalo, is a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London and former president of the Archaeological Institute of America. Professor Dyson is widely acknowledged as one of the world’s leading authorities on Roman and classical archaeology and the most distinguished and broadly accomplished Roman archaeologist in North America. Spanning more than 50 years, his vast body of scholarship has been transformative across a remarkably broad range of classical archaeology subfields, including Roman imperial history and historiography, the archaeology of Sardinia and ancient Rome, and the development of the Italian countryside, as well as important excavations in the Near East and the United States, where he has conducted seminal work in post-Columbian colonial archaeology. He is described by intellectual leaders within his discipline as one of the chief "pioneers of theoretically-informed and socially-oriented approaches to archaeology," as "one of the great luminaries," and a "genuine giant in the field of Classical Archaeology" who has been instrumental in defining the field’s evolution over many decades. His numerous groundbreaking achievements include his mapping of the Roman settlement in the Ager Cosanus; his discovery and exploration of Roman villas in the Mediterranean; and his comprehensive study of Rome’s evolution as an imperialist power.

Marilyn E. Morris, University at Buffalo – Dr. Morris, a member of the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University at Buffalo, is an internationally distinguished pharmaceutical scientist who is recognized globally for her groundbreaking research contributions to drug therapy, clinical care, and public health. Professor Morris is a Fellow of both the American Association for the Advancement of Sciences and the American Association of Pharmaceutical Sciences. Among numerous leadership roles in the pharmaceutical field worldwide, she is a past president of the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists, elected executive committee member of the Board of Pharmaceutical Sciences and International Pharmaceutical Federation, and a member of the FDA Advisory Panel for Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences. One of the world’s preeminent scholars in the areas of pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and drug membrane transporters, she has had a lasting impact on these fields through her highly cited and continuously funded research, with profound influence in advancing current understanding of how dietary antioxidants are transported and metabolized. Among her numerous seminal research findings include her groundbreaking discoveries regarding the role of dietary flavonoids in drug interaction and drug resistance—work with enormous implications for patient care and drug therapy particularly in the treatment of cancer, as well as the treatment of drug overdose.

Richard M. Rosenfeld, SUNY Downstate – Dr. Rosenfeld, Chair of the Department of Otolaryngology at SUNY Downstate Medical Center, is an international leader in the development of best practice approaches and formal clinical guidelines for the evaluation and treatment of otitis media (OM). OM affects millions of children annually causing a significant impact on hearing and linguistic development. Treatment of OM has implications for antibiotic usage strategies and utilization of healthcare resources. Dr. Rosenfeld’s work has made an impact within the world of pediatrics, otolaryngology, and public health. He developed a partnership between the Cochrane Collaboration and the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery which has significantly improved the understanding of systematic reviews and meta-analyses within the field. As the editor-in-chief of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, he developed a task-force for clinical guidelines. There have been over 10 guidelines papers on topics issued from the task force, including OM, sleep apnea, and sinusitis. Dr. Rosenfeld’s clinical and scientific contributions have made a lasting imprint on the improved levels of care that children with OM receive. He is a leader for the thousands of otolaryngologists through his guidelines work, and is an intellectual leader as a journal editor, chairman, and mentor to countless colleagues.

Lynette M.F. Bosch, SUNY Geneseo – Dr. Bosch, Chair of Art History at SUNY Geneseo, has the distinction of being a renowned scholar in three fields of expertise: Renaissance art, Spanish manuscript illumination, and contemporary Latin America art, especially Cuban. She uniquely weaves archival material with contemporary critical theory. Her scholarly and creative output spans nearly the entire range of possibilities, including books, peer-reviewed articles, encyclopedia articles, book reviews, conference presentations, exhibition catalogs, curatorial work, conference organizing, and speaking invitations. Dr. Bosch’s Art, Liturgy, and Legend in Renaissance Toledo (Penn State Press, 2000) won the prestigious Eleanor Tufts Book Award, an international prize from the American Society of Hispanic Art Scholars. One of the unique contributions of this monograph is that it illustrates the transnational nature of the Renaissance by comparing Spanish manuscript production to developments in Italy and northern Europe. The book has been hailed as a "landmark in the study of later fifteenth-century Spanish art that also impacts the study of late medieval and early Renaissance art." Professor Bosch’s scholarship extends to offering a variety of research and presentation opportunities to her undergraduate students including exhibitions, symposia, and study abroad programs.

William C. Chittick, Stony Brook University – Dr. Chittick, a member of the Department of Asian and Asian American Studies at Stony Brook University, is an internationally renowned scholar on Islamic civilization as well as Comparative Philosophy and Religious Studies. He is author, editor, and translator of 30 books and monographs, and nearly two hundred articles on Islamic thought, Shi'ism and Sufism. His works have been translated into a dozen languages used in the Middle East, East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia and Europe. His writings have influenced all students of Islamic thought and have played an important role in changing the content and contour of philosophy education by breaking the hegemony of western philosophy. Dr. Chittick is the recipient of three National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowships, a Fulbright Fellowship, and most recently, a John Simon Guggenheim Fellowship. He won the World Prize for the Book of the Year twice, conferred by the Islamic Republic of Iran. His fierce dedication to the pursuit of knowledge has been an inspiration for all his colleagues in the Department of Asian and Asian American Studies, where he has mentored students and scholars of Islamic studies from all over the world.

Michael Aaron Frohman, Stony Brook University – Dr. Frohman, Chair of the Department of Pharmacological Sciences at Stony Brook University, has made exemplary contributions to the educational mission of the institution. His discoveries are trail-blazing in the field of molecular biology. He co-identified a new family of signal transduction enzymes (Phospholipase D). This group of enzymes is critical in cell signal transduction and is thought to play roles in diabetes, neurodegenerative disease, and cancer. He also developed a molecular biology method, called RACE PCR, or Rapid Amplification of cDNA ends, a technique used in molecular biology to obtain full length sequence of RNA transcripts found within a cell. This technique reduced the time for cloning of cDNAs from months to days, and it had a significant impact across every life science field, with the initial citation classic report in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) being cited almost 5,000 times to date. RACE-PCR continues to be used as the method of choice to clone endogenous miRNAs, and has also been adapted for new uses. His most recent work is focused on the phospholipase field, where he is an undisputed international leader. Phospholipases are critical enzymes that have a role in cancer, autoimmunity and infection. Inhibition of these enzymes in pathological conditions has been a goal for many decades. Dr. Frohman’s laboratory was able to characterize a small molecule inhibitor of PLD1 and PLD2 and used it in a pivotal study published in Science (2009), which shows roles for PLD activity in polarization and migration of neutrophils. With the availability of the small molecule inhibitor, his research group has established in vivo roles for the PLD genes and potential opportunities for therapeutic inhibition. Professor Frohman has been continuously funded from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) since 1992, and currently holds two NIH-R01 awards.

Lorna W. Role, Stony Brook University – Dr. Role, a member of the Department of Neurobiology and Behavior at Stony Brook University,is considered one of the world’s leading neurobiologists. Her commitment to bridging basic science and the treatment of neurological disorders may provide new insights into control/prevention of diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, depression, dementia, and addiction. Dr. Role’s research has been dedicated to trying to understand how cholinergic signaling influences the development and plasticity of synapses, circuits and networks that underlie learned behaviors from reward to fear. Professor Role’s early work focused on electrophysiological studies of the establishment of cholinoceptive synapses and on identifying mechanisms and molecular signals that controlled the subunit composition and targeting of neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors to axonal domains. Dr. Role’s current research is focused on dissecting the roles of cholinergic signaling in the inscription and retention of memories, with particular emphasis on how acetylcholine contributes to the effects of highly salient experiences on learning and memory. Dr. Role and her group have now shown that brief activation or inhibition of cholinergic terminal fields within the amygdala could make the difference between an indelible memory of fearful circumstances and an essentially fearless state. They are now exploring whether manipulating cholinergic signaling can preserve positive associations and, perhaps, bring back lost memories. Dr. Role has been honored in several ways for her contributions to science, including the National Institute of Health Director’s Pioneer Award.

Kathleen Wilson, Stony Brook University – Dr. Wilson, a member of the Department of History at Stony Brook University, immediately won wide recognition both in Britain and the United States for her first book, The Sense of the People: Politics, Culture and Imperialism in England, 1715-1785 (Cambridge University Press, 1995). She received the 1995 Whitfield Prize for British History of the Royal Historical Society, UK, as well as the 1996 John Ben Snow Award for British Studies, North American Conference on British Studies. With The Island Race: Englishness, Empire and Gender in the Eighteenth Century (London: Routledge, 2003) she brought a new intellectual excitement to the field of British Empire Studies. Here she continued to mark out a major new kind of imperial history that brilliantly theorized an innovative way of understanding how British domestic politics and society interacted with the overseas empire. Her next work published only a year later, A New Imperial History: Culture, Identity and Modernity in Britain and the Empire, 1660-1840, editor (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2004), brought together the best international scholarship in the field. Currently in press is another work by Dr. Wilson on the role of the empire in "the politics in culture" and the "culture of politics" with Strolling Players of Empire: Theater, Culture and Modernity in the English Provinces, 1720-1820 (forthcoming with Cambridge University Press, 2016). She is in the process of completing in a certain sense the "companion" study in a gender-informed understanding of empire, and in particular the cultural politics of the greatest Western one: Admirals as Heroes: Fighting Men and British Masculinity. As perhaps the most influential "gatekeeper" in her field, Dr. Wilson co-edits the key book series with Cambridge University Press: Critical Perspectives on Empire, where much of the best of her new work comes out. Professor Wilson has been recognized internationally with awards, honors and fellowships.

The Distinguished Teaching Professorship recognizes and honors mastery of teaching. For this prestigious tribute to be conferred, candidates must have demonstrated consistently superior mastery of teaching, outstanding service to students, and commitment to their ongoing intellectual growth, scholarship and professional growth, and adherence to rigorous academic standards and requirements. Further, a faculty member must have attained and held the rank of full professor for five years, have completed at least three years of full-time teaching on the nominating campus, 10 years of full-time teaching in the System, and must have regularly carried a full-time teaching load as defined by the campus. Receiving this rank are:

Reid R. Heffner, Jr., University at Buffalo – Dr. Heffner, a member of the Department of Pathology and Anatomical Sciences at the University at Buffalo, is a "beloved and revered" teacher as well as an outstanding clinician in the field of pathology. Professor Heffner has been honored by the receipt of Siegel Award Commendations for Teaching Excellence, recognizing extraordinary teaching that includes instructional skill, ability to stimulate thinking and develop understanding, demonstration of sensitivity toward the human condition, and service as a role model for students. Professor Heffner also received a "Special Recognition for Teaching" conferred on him by the Medical Class of 2007 in appreciation of his dedication and contributions to learning. His style of teaching bridges the classroom-to-clinic chasm. He has taught over 9,000 undergraduate professional school trainees. In presenting "The Director’s Roadmap," he both instructed and inspired national leaders in pathology education to become both teachers and mentors to students on their journeys of professional development. He has distinguished himself in leadership capacities at the University at Buffalo and professionally, and played a major role in the design and implementation of the new organ-based medical curriculum. Students applaud his multi-disciplinary teaching skill, humanism and mentorship. External evaluators respect him nationally and internationally as an outstanding educator, scholar, and clinician, as evidenced by his numerous honors, including the 2013 Meritorious Service Award from the American Association of Neuropathologists.

Joseph C. Mollendorf, University at Buffalo – Dr. Mollendorf, a member of the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the University at Buffalo, is a Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and a recipient of the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching. Professor Mollendorf is a revered scholar, teacher, and mentor who has made pioneering and sustained contributions in the field of service learning through groundbreaking teaching in the area of assistive device technologies. A leading engineer in the development of assistive devices who has received 22 years of continuous funding from the National Science Foundation, Dr. Mollendorf is credited with seven U.S. patents—five of which were earned through his work with students on assistive device technologies. Through an innovative, NSF-funded capstone course in assistive device design that he has led since 1989, more than 700 University at Buffalo students have participated in nearly 450 individual projects, developing groundbreaking assistive devices that have improved the quality of life for hundreds of people with disabilities and their families. In addition to his pioneering and impactful work with undergraduate engineering students, he has served as a major advisor to numerous graduate students who have gone on to achieve significant success in higher education and industry. Dr. Mollendorf also has built a highly productive innovative research program featuring non-traditional interdisciplinary collaborative work, far in advance of current trends.

Samy I. McFarlane, SUNY Downstate – Dr. McFarlane, a member of the Department of Medicine at SUNY Downstate Medical Center, has been a faculty member since 1996. He is a Professor and Medicine Clerkship Director. He quickly emerged as a magnet teacher and mentor for students and residents. His natural talent, love and dedication for student education is evident in all aspects of his career. He has published extensively and written several books including, "First Aid for Medicine Clerkship" that became the recommended reading at major universities nationally. Dr. McFarlane is a renowned clinical researcher and was appointed as a consultant to the National Institute of Health-National Institute of Diabetes Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIH)-(NIDDK) and served as Chair for the NIH-NIDDK U01 review committee. Professor McFarlane uses research as a platform for teaching, training, and furthering the careers of students, residents, and fellows. Teaching in the community has earned him multiple recognitions including the Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition from the U.S. House of Representatives. He is the Brooklyn District President for the American College of Physicians, advocating for quality patient care and quality student education. Dr. McFarlane has made a significant impact on the careers and lives of students, trainees and junior faculty at SUNY Downstate Medical Center while continuing to serve the health needs of the community.

Judith Ellis, Fashion Institute of Technology – Professor Ellis, a member of the Department of Toy Design at FIT, is founder of the world’s first baccalaureate program in toy design. Her goal for the program was to educate "socially responsible, professional designers who produce marketable toys that promote the development of the child." Her students learn the technical skills of drawing, design, model making and engineering, of course. But her acute appreciation for the deep psychological meaning of toys, play and storytelling in the lives of children is infused into the curriculum. She is an extraordinary educator, universally recognized for her significant contributions to the field of design education. She has written eleven different courses for this one of a kind program and since 1988, she has created and integrated 19 unique teaching activities into the curriculum that range from storytelling and student play sessions to freeform technology. Her students become leaders in their field. Indeed, her department reports 100 percent job placement, and the skills her graduates bring to the workplace have changed the face of the toy industry. Professor Ellis received the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching and the Women in Toys Award. A renowned design educator, her work has been recognized nationally and internationally. The President of the Toy Industry Association, writing on behalf of 818 toy companies, says, "So significant are her contributions and the positive impact of Judy Ellis that in 2013, she was elected to the esteemed Toy Industry Hall of Fame. The Hall recognizes only those select few who have made a lasting, exemplary impact on the global toy industry."

Neil Feit, SUNY Fredonia – Dr. Feit, a member of the Department of Philosophy at SUNY Fredonia, has been a faculty member since 1999 and was promoted to the rank of Full Professor in 2009. His expertise in the philosophy of mind, philosophy of language, and ethics animates his teaching and scholarship. Dr. Feit earns near-perfect evaluations from his students. Many of the students with whom he has worked closely have achieved great success in business, law and philosophy after graduation. He is renowned for his unique, effective style of teaching, which combines lecture-discussion, slide presentations, frequent quizzes, online videos, and a philosophical technique of strongly defending conflicting positions in turn. In addition, Dr. Feit is generous with his time outside the classroom, overseeing several student clubs and working independently with students who seek his guidance. He has high expectations of students and his rigorous standards bring out their best. Finally, his professional development, as judged by scholarly activity, has been ongoing and robust: he has published two books and 20 articles in the most prestigious forums in philosophy, including the Oxford University Press. In recognition of his accomplishments, Dr. Feit has earned the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching, the Hagan Young Scholar/Artist Award, and the Kasling Award for Excellence in Research and Scholarship.

Christopher Coleman Leary, SUNY Geneseo – Dr. Leary, a member of the Department of Mathematics at SUNY Geneseo,is a gifted and innovative teacher who inspires his students to love mathematics and to become better thinkers. He uses a variety of methods to challenge, engage, and motivate his students to become active and independent learners. Many have gone on to receive important academic honors and to enroll in prestigious graduate programs. He mentors students both within and outside of his classes, and he has made significant contributions to undergraduate research, including obtaining an NSF grant for Undergraduate Biomathematical Research (2004-2009) and creating a program in biomathematics. He teaches a wide range of courses in mathematical logic as well as in biomathematics. Dr. Leary’s published work has made important contributions in both of these fields, including his textbook, now in its second edition, in mathematical logic. He has been recognized with the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching (1995) and the Clarence F. Stephens Distinguished Teaching Award of the Seaway Section of the Mathematical Association of America (2009).

Norayne W. Rosero, Mohawk Valley Community College – Professor Rosero, a member of the Center for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics at MVCC, has been a leader in the classroom and in the college community throughout her thirty-five years at MVCC. She makes essential contributions as a teacher, as a colleague, and as an expert in assessment review. She teaches younger faculty how to teach, often delivering presentations on deep student learning methods, and the development of effective student learning outcomes. She is an extraordinary teacher who encourages and inspires while imbuing her classes with new teaching methods, and her students respond with superior performance. Professor Rosero has served on over 70 college committees and has worked tirelessly and successfully to convince college faculty that academic program review, accreditation review, and self-study are opportunities for all of them to learn and improve. She has frequently chaired major committees and self-study efforts at the college. Her expertise in the area of assessment has been broadly influential, both in her service as a member of several Middle States study teams, and as co-chair of the SUNY Council on Assessment. The recipient of several teaching and faculty service awards, Professor Rosero exemplifies the passion, excellence and service leadership of a distinguished teacher.

Nancy L. Elwess, SUNY Plattsburgh – Dr. Elwess, a member of the Department of Biological Sciences at SUNY Plattsburgh, has been a dedicated and enthusiastic teacher, prolific and successful scholar, and an energetic member of the college community at SUNY Plattsburgh for 18 years. After a successful career as a Senior Research Fellow at the Mayo Clinic, she turned to the noble profession of teaching due to her desire to "make a difference." She readily shares her experiences in research with her students and has left an indelible mark on their professional careers as they have gone on to such professions as: medical practitioners, physician assistants, professors, scientists, and science educators. Her compassion and devotion to students from all walks of life has truly "made a difference." In her efforts to mentor students, she has received many awards, most notably the 2009 Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring Award presented by President Obama at a White House ceremony. Those same efforts have also led to students receiving regional, national, and international awards for their research and external student research grants. Professor Elwess leads by example and has positively impacted SUNY Plattsburgh students.

Patricia M. Kane, SUNY Upstate – Dr. Kane, Chair of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at SUNY Upstate Medical University, is an expert on the structure and function of vacuolar ATPase and an outstanding scientist, having maintained continuous NIH grant funding for over 20 years. She has served on NIH study sections, as an ad hoc NIH reviewer, and as an editor and reviewer for many top journals in her field. She is an extraordinary educator, in the classroom, in seminar, and in the laboratory, and has received multiple teaching awards at Upstate Medical, including the President’s Award for Excellence in Teaching and the Outstanding Teacher Award from the College of Graduate Studies three times. Student evaluations attest to the high quality of her teaching, in both the College of Graduate Studies as well as the College of Medicine. Dr. Kane is a particularly skilled mentor in the laboratory, providing a substantial part of everyday encouraging, challenging, and fostering the maturation of talented and diverse students on the transformative path to becoming independent investigators.

The Distinguished Service Professorship honors and recognizes extraordinary service. Candidates must have demonstrated substantial distinguished service not only at the campus and the State University, but also at the community, regional and State levels. Further, many candidates for appointment have rendered influential service contributing at the national and international levels. Service must exceed the work generally considered to be a part of a candidate’s basic professional work and should include service that exceeds that for which professors are normally compensated. It must also extend over multiple years and, very importantly, must involve the application of intellectual skills drawing from the candidate’s scholarly and research interests to issues of public concern. Receiving this rank are:

George D. Catalano, Binghamton University – Dr. Catalano, a member of the Department of Bioengineering at Binghamton University, has dedicated his professional life in service to his profession and in service to others. An inspiring educator and mentor for countless students whose lives he has touched, he challenges both his students and his profession to broaden the sense of responsibility they hold for the well-being of the planet and all of its inhabitants. Dr. Catalano founded, along with others, new professional organizations whose purpose is to improve the quality of life for those who are stuck in an unending cycle of poverty. At Binghamton University, Professor Catalano developed the current, exemplary format used for the freshman engineering programs; served as director of the Binghamton Scholars Program, adding to the program a strong foundation of service-learning, leadership, and a focus on advances in the sciences, humanities and engineering; was a Faculty Master for the Apartment Communities; played a pivotal role in establishing the Center for Civic Engagement; and has held countless other service roles. As an engineer and educator dedicated to improving our planet, Dr. Catalano has given his time and talent to his discipline’s international governing body, the Accreditation Board of Engineering and Technology (ABET) to ensure that the quality of undergraduate and graduate engineering projects continues to improve. As a member of the American Society of Engineering Education (ASEE), he founded its ethics division, ensuring that engineering ethics remains at the forefront for all engineers.

Mark J. Lema, University at Buffalo – Dr. Lema, a member of the Department of Anesthesiology at the University at Buffalo, is internationally renowned for his excellence as a clinician and scholar, and is a leading authority in pain management and end-of-life care. At a national level, he has had an instrumental impact on policy and practice in the areas of palliative care and anesthesiology while making sustained and exemplary service contributions to his university and his profession. His pioneering efforts in pain management and end-of-life care presaged an emerging subspecialty and provided a new direction in the field of anesthesiology that is widely recognized. Among his most notable service achievements, as President of the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) in 2007, Professor Lema launched a sweeping reorganization that expanded member services, improved financial performance, increased the experience and diversity of the staff, and instituted significant international outreach programs. Dr. Lema received the ASA’s Prestigious Service Award—the Society’s highest tribute for service and achievement. In further testament to his international stature in his field, the New York State Society of Anesthesiology invited Dr. Lema to deliver the prestigious 38th E.A. Rovenstein Memorial Lecture in recognition of his outstanding state and national service, which has proven to elevate the standards of professional service in the field.

Stephen M. Goldfinger, SUNY Downstate – Dr. Goldfinger, Chair of the Department of Psychiatry at SUNY Downstate Medical Center, has served the psychiatric community on several levels. With more than 100 publications, Dr. Goldfinger is a nationally and internationally recognized expert on homelessness, schizophrenia, and treatment adherence in mental illness and has focused much of his career on improving the lives of those confronted with these issues. As Professor and Chair of the Department of Psychiatry for 13 years, he is dedicated to training the next generation of clinicians and researchers, while providing an environment in which they would be exposed to the many facets of public psychiatry and the diversity of patient populations in his native Brooklyn. Early in his career, he established the nation’s first clinical rotation in homeless shelters of psychiatric residents. He has twice served as the Interim Residency Training Director and under his leadership redesigned the program admission process to create more diverse and inclusive residency cohorts. The large and diverse residency program is considered one of the most desirable in the country, with graduates entering the most prestigious fellowships in the field. He has testified before Congress and served on a Panel of Experts for the U.S. General Accounting Office. The sustained quality of his vision and commitment to the most disenfranchised and disaffiliated populations is well documented. He has served as the primary psychiatrist volunteer at the annual meeting of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, on dozens of community, professional and editorial boards, and has mentored generations of young psychiatrists. Dr. Goldfinger is a passionate advocate for his patients, community and the field of psychiatry.

Joel F. LaLone, Jefferson Community College – Mr. LaLone, a member of the Department of Mathematics at Jefferson Community College, is a recipient of the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching (1991) and a recipient of the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Scholarship and Creativity (2010). Professor LaLone is guided by a philosophy of applied learning and was instrumental in the creation of the Center for Community Studies in 1999, which has facilitated his approach to applied learning for students of statistics ever since. The Center has completed over 150 community-based research studies in Northern New York using a vast array of methodologies of data collection and data analysis. He has served as principal researcher, data analyst, and author for virtually all of these studies and the results have had wide reaching impact including providing the evidence that led to the construction of a new hospice facility in Jefferson County and the creation of a data driven water usage plan and zoning in the Town of Watson. The studies have served arguably every aspect of what one would typically define as a community, including but not limited to, the community sectors of education, government, healthcare, policing and safety, agriculture, manufacturing, public health, comprehensive economic and land use planning, tourism, and economic impact studies. Professor LaLone’s educational philosophy is one that infuses enthusiasm into every activity in which he has the opportunity to actively participate at the Center. He is committed to serving society through the mathematical tools that he teaches. In summary, his service both on and off campus has been aptly characterized as a "Win-Win-Win-Win" situation in which the community, students, college, and faculty are all served and "win" through the community-based research Mr. LaLone delivers.

Lise Héroux, SUNY Plattsburgh – Dr.Héroux, a member of the Department of Marketing and Entrepreneurship at SUNY Plattsburgh, has been a dedicated faculty member in providing leadership for the college for 29 years. She has been active in shared governance, having been a long-serving member of the faculty senate as well as participating on the campus’s Budget and Assessment Committee and Middles States Review Steering Committee. She also helped to found the Council on Teaching Effectiveness. As a bridging faculty member, her focus on applied research allows her to translate her research into relevant findings to aid local, national, and international organizations improve their marketing and entrepreneurship efforts. Dr. Héroux is considered one of North America’s foremost experts on Canada-U.S. comparative research studies in marketing and has written extensively in trade publications making her research widely available to practitioners. Her expertise also extends beyond the Canada-U.S. focus, and includes Europe, Latin America, Algeria, and the United Arab Emirates. She is a leading figure for service to many professional associations, including serving on the review boards of several scholarly journals In addition to her service and research contributions, she has provided experiential learning projects for her students that have benefitted over 100 local organizations by solving their marketing-related problems.

Peter Richards Brink, Stony Brook University – Dr. Brink, Chair of the Department of Physiology and Biophysics for 18 years at Stony Brook University, has served with distinction as an award winning teacher, an outstanding contributor to the University and national community, and a successful researcher with multiple award winning patents. He has been a very productive faculty member in the study of connexins and cardiac stem cells, securing extensive external funding and dedicating his work to aid individuals suffering from debilitating, irreversible, and progressive diseases and disorders. As chair of the department, he has been an outstanding mentor of junior faculty and fostered faculty collaboration and growth. While the department is small in terms of the number of faculty, his leadership has positioned it as one of the top 10 funded departments in the University. He also dedicated his time to lead the creation of the first Masters program in Stony Brook’s Health Sciences Center. This program has been remarkably successful in increasing minority representation in both research and medical careers. He has been awarded both the President's and the Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching. His research garnered the Research Foundation's Excellence in Pursuit of Knowledge award and he has twice been awarded the Patent of the Year by the Long lsland Inventor's Hall of Fame. All the while, he has continuously served the national science community as a permanent member on three NIH study sections over the last 25 years.

Laura J. Fochtmann, Stony Brook University – Dr. Fochtmann, a member of the Department of Psychiatry at Stony Brook University, is nationally recognized for her service to psychiatry. Her career is dedicated to improving the care of individuals with mental illness and to educating medical students, residents, and colleagues about the complexities of diagnosis and treatment. She plays a pivotal role in the development of the American Psychiatric Association’s clinical practice guidelines, which foster evidence-based psychiatric care and are used nationally to measure the adequacy of mental health services. Since joining the Stony Brook faculty in 1988, Dr. Fochtmann has received many accolades for teaching, including Stony Brook Medicine’s highest honor for teaching excellence, the Aesculapius Award. She has also integrated her clinical skills and knowledge of biomedical informatics in adapting Stony Brook’s electronic health record to meet the unique needs of psychiatric settings. Professor Fochtmann serves on many vital committees at Stony Brook and nationally in the areas of clinical care, psychiatric research, and electronic health records. For her outstanding contributions to psychiatry, Dr. Fochtmann received the New York State Psychiatric Association’s Distinguished Service Award and the Warren Williams Award of the American Psychiatric Association Assembly. She was also selected for membership in the American College of Psychiatrists and is a Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association.

David F. Lehmann, SUNY Upstate – Dr. Lehmann, a member of the Department of Medicine at SUNY Upstate Medical University, is Professor of Medicine and practicing internist and clinical pharmacologist. Dr. Lehmann has dedicated a substantial amount of time in service to academic leadership as Chair of the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee at University Hospital, Chief of the Inpatient Clinical Pharmacology Inpatient Consult Service, and Chief of the Section of Clinical Pharmacology in the Departments of Medicine and Pharmacology. He has previously served as Vice Chair of the Department of Medicine and Chief of the Division of General Medicine. Dr. Lehmann has had substantial teaching roles, teaching pharmacology in Upstate Medical’s undergraduate and graduate medical education programs. In these clinical, administrative and educational roles, he has promoted high quality prescribing practice and improved patient safety. Dr. Lehmann is also the Medical Director of the SUNY-NYS Department of Health Collaborative for Medication Use, designed to enhance the safety, efficacy, and cost-effectiveness of the NYS Medicaid formulary and to educate providers through the NYS Medicaid Prescriber Education Program. He has served as a reviewer for many clinical pharmacology journals, and as a member of the Board of Regents for the American College of Clinical Pharmacology. Professor Lehmann has served as a practicing physician in Saipan, clinical pharmacologist in Kenya, and educator and consultant in the development of pharmacology curricula in Nepal and India.

About the State University of New YorkThe State University of New York is the largest comprehensive system of higher education in the United States, with 64 college and university campuses located within 30 miles of every home, school and business in the state. In 2015–16, SUNY served nearly 1.3 million students, including nearly 600,000 in credit-bearing courses and programs and more than 700,000 through continuing education and community outreach programs. SUNY students and faculty across the state make significant contributions to research and discovery, resulting in nearly $1 billion of externally sponsored activity each year. There are 3 million SUNY alumni worldwide, and one in three New Yorkers with a college degree is a SUNY alum. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunity, visit www.suny.edu.